Each Third Says Compulsory Health Insurance Only Worsened Things

Each third Moldovan citizen, who applied for medical assistance since this past January 1, believes that after the compulsory health insurance introduction the quality of services in the public health sector has only deteriorated. The rest two-thirds said nothing had changed, according to the "Barometer of Public Opinion: April-May, 2004" data presented today.

The poll revealed, in particular, that a majority of the interviewed 1,116 Moldovan citizens have no idea which medical services they may demand on the basis of their insurance policies.

Thirty-seven percent respondents believe an overwhelming majority of medical personnel are corrupt, and 47 percent of people who applied for medical assistance had to give gifts, or cash, or to render various services to doctors and nurses.

Twenty-six percent people confessed that they had bribed, at least once in their lives, police officers, doctors, judges, notaries, or teachers of educational institutions.

A half of the Moldovans are discontented with the economic situation in Moldova, claiming the country is going a wrong way. The proportion of those believing the way is right shrank by 8 percent during the last 12 months - down to 31%.

According to the poll, each fourth family has at least one dear working abroad, and one-third of the migrants work in Russia. Each fifth Moldovan is ready to rush abroad for job at the first opportunity, and 4 percent stated they are ready to remain there forever. Five percent of the polled people were in the process of receiving a foreign citizenship (mostly Romanian one), and 31 percent would like to get it.